Project Level GIS Specialist

About The Opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants seeks a Project Level Geospatial Scientist to support major transmission projects. This role involves providing highly technical support and project leadership for our Electric Transmission Business Line projects. This position will be responsible for maintaining complex GIS systems, managing online data collection and working with project managers to deliver high-quality deliverables to our clients. You will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including client services, siting, natural, cultural, and paleontological resources.

Responsibilities

• Serving as the geospatial project lead and point of contact for large transmission projects and transmission clients.
• Collaborating with project managers and subject matter experts to support large multi-discipline transmission projects.
• Developing standards and workflows to improve efficiency and quality of work.
• Designing and managing complex spatial databases.
• Working with robust systems to track project updates, versioning, and field activities.
• Demonstrating advanced technical proficiency in geospatial science and tools.
• Gaining familiarity with client interfaces, expectations, and workflows.
• Acting as a technical liaison between clients, stakeholders, and project managers.
• Developing and maintaining ArcGIS Online (AGOL) maps, applications, and notebooks for electric transmission projects.
• Advising project managers on GIS strategy and communicating updates to multi-disciplinary teams.
• Leading large, complex GIS projects with minimal supervision.
• Visiting project sites and providing GIS support in the field.
• Attending in-person meetings with clients as needed.

Required Experience and qualifications for success

• Bachelor’s degree in Geography, Biology, Environmental Science, or related field with a GIS emphasis (or GIS certificate).
• At least four (4) years in a GIS analyst role with increasing professional responsibility.
• Experience with electric transmission siting and/or supporting transmission projects.
• Experience with suitability modeling and raster-based scoring models.
• Experience working with complex datasets supporting transmission infrastructure.
• Proven ability to manage all GIS-related aspects of a project, from project startup to final deliverables.
• Proficiency with ArcGIS Pro 3.x and a strong understanding of cartography and computer mapping, including design principles and map creation procedures in ArcGIS.
• Experience in using GIS-based programming, including Python, and/or Arcade to develop tools to automate or improve efficiency.
• Experience with ArcGIS Online for managing and distributing spatial data.

Preferred Or Helpful

• At least seven (7) years in a GIS analyst role with increasing professional responsibility.
• GISP or similar professional GIS certification.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary and multi-faceted projects.
• Experience in designing, developing, implementing, and administering GIS systems.
• Previous experience managing GIS tasks in environmental consulting, particularly in support of electric transmission siting, environmental permitting, and cultural resource projects.
• Experience developing analytical models related to natural or cultural resource processes.
• Understanding of agency internal processes and positive relationships with federal land management and regulatory agencies, such as BLM, USFS, NPS, BOR, DOE, DOT, FERC, NRCS, USACE, and USFWS.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing project needs.

Why Work At SWCA

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack. We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

Application Information

Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

Salary Information

Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more. EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.